Reinforcer for flexible straps.



No. 858,627. PATENTED JULY 2,1907.

S. T. ROBERTS. REIN-FORGER FOR FLEXIBLHSTRAPS.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII AN. 111111 a.

UNIED sra'rns ATNT OFFICE.

BEINFORCER FOR FLEXIBLE STRAPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed January 18, 1906. Serial No.'296,630.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain newland useful Improvements in Reinforcers for Flexible Straps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic reinforcers, and is designed more especially for use as a reinforcer for leather straps in which great strength, combined with cheapness of manufacture is the desideratum, and my object is to produce an article of this character, of simple, strong, durable and comparatively cheapconstruction, and which can be easily, quickly, and cheaply secured in operative relation to the strap to be reinforced.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a top plan view of a portion of a reinforcer embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a side view of the same. Fig. 3, is a section taken on the line IIIIII of Figv 2. Fig. 4, is a section on the line IV1V of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a detail-view showing a modified form of the sleeve.

In the said drawing, '5 indicates a flattened tubular metallic strap, the same being composed of wires 2 woven or coiled together as shown. To this strap per so no claim is made as it is an article of manufacture now on the market. At one or more points according to the nature of its use the wires composing this strap are spread apart as at 3, so as to provide a hole 4.

5 indicates a metallic sleeve having a hole 6 registering with hole 4 of the strap, which sleeve is adapted to be brazed or otherwise secured upon the strap or the sleeve may be produced by casting it upon said strap. If cast upon the strap the casting will preferably extend through the hole in the strap to form a tubular eyelet 7 therefor so that a rivet, bolt or-the tongue of a buckle if slipped through said eyelet and the hole 6 forming a continuation of the passage of the eyelet, will not abrade against and injure the wires 2 of the strap.

By the equipment of the strap with the sleeve 5 the former is strengthened and a comparatively wide bearing hole or aperture is provided for the engagement of the rivet, bolt or tongue of the buckle. The tubular foi'niaton of the strap gives the desired flexibility and strength with minimum weight, the strap having the necessary flexibility edgewise as well as laterally. Furthermore the strap is of such character that it can be twisted more or less to accommodate conditions Where strain of any character is imposed upon it.

In practice a reinforcer of this character, where used as a part of a trace or tug, for instance, as in my allowed application for patent on straps, filed April 29, 1905, Ser. No. 258,127, receives the strain at one side only of the eyelet, or the holes 4 and 6 if the eyelet portion 7 is not provided. I therefore contemplate the equipment of such strap with a sleeve which has one end approximately in the plane of the opening 4 in the strap and is provided in such end with notches 8, which register with the hole 6 as shown in Fig. 5 instead of having the opening at a point between its ends. The base of these notches 8 forms the surface upon which bears the pressure of the device extending through the hole in the strap, whether such device be a rivet, bolt, buckle-tongue or analogous part. This form of the device is shorter than the form first described and is, therefore, lighter so that it exerts all the necessary reinforcing action without throwing any unnecessary weight on the strap.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a metallic reinforcer possessing the features of advantage enumerated as desirable and which may be modified in minor particulars without departing from the principle of construction involved.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

The combination with a flexible strap, of a reinforcing sleeve fitted snugly thereon and permanently secured thereto, said sleeve having a transverse opening and an integral eyelet portion registering with said opening and passing; diametrically through the strap, and the bore of the sleeve beingexpanded concentrically with the said eyelet to receive and hold the projected portion of the strap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL T. ROBERTS.

Witnesses H. C. Ronenns, G. Y. THonPn. 

